If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

What would rich Pureblood homeschooling be like?

Hi,

I've got a plot bunny that just won't let go, and it involves some things that I'm just not sure about. What would rich Pureblood homeschooling be like? I imagine it would involve tutors, instead of the parents teaching. Would they be taught any other skills besides magic, like cooking or playing some sort of instrument? Thanks very much for your help!

I imagine that the home-schooling would definately be very strict. I'm not sure how much they would be taught other than magic. I assume some stuff like cooking or music might be included. Keep in mind though that most pure-bloods were not fond of the muggle world, so... I also think that the family would get a tutor. I remember a mention of something like that in the books, but maybe I'm wrong.

Children have to be taught the basics. Math. Reading. Writing. A basic primary education. After that, I think that homeschooling would be very much about what the parents found important. I write a character who was tutored before she came to Hogwarts and her parents were extremely strict, teaching her things that other parents might find unnecessary. Latin and other foreign languages. Different cultures (my character knows Greek mythology). Some might teach their children music.

Really, you have to decide on what the parent would like (some would be strict, others lax). Some pureblood might not be found of Muggles, but some might be and might think that children should have some knowledge about worlds outside their own.

First, there is no canonical evidence for pureblood homeschooling whatsoever, at least structured pureblood homeschooling. When Draco suggests that Crabbe and/or Goyle (can't remember which) cannot read - it's completely possible that it's not just a bad joke. They might be barely literate.

Draco, on the other hand, must have learned to read or write at some point before attending Hogwarts because there are no classes.

The were definitely taught to read and write, at least those interested in schooling whatsoever (the Malfoys, the Blacks, Blaise Zabini's mom, the Greengrasses possibly?)

There's no Trace, since they're living in magical areas, so it's completely possible that they were taught some magic. However, considering Neville's lack of aptitude for magic at an early age, it's possible that many of these kids simply did not have enough magical 'power' to be taught more than theory.

I doubt that a rich pureblood would be taught cooking - they have servants for that. Depending on whether you think they have human servants, the women would be taught laundering. You can't hand clothing to a house elf or it will free them. So laundry would have to be done by the women of the household or a human servant.

Whether they were taught a musical instrument or perhaps a sport would probably depend on the parent. I see Blaise Zabini's mom liking the idea of having a musical child, while the Malfoys would put Draco in dueling or Quidditch.

There's no Trace, since they're living in magical areas, so it's completely possible that they were taught some magic. However, considering Neville's lack of aptitude for magic at an early age, it's possible that many of these kids simply did not have enough magical 'power' to be taught more than theory.

The Trace is put on every magical child under the age of seventeen. The moniters at the Ministry, however, trust the family of a magical child to discipline him or her for using magic. A child in the Muggle world like Harry is more closely monitered. I would think that some families would not care to follow the rules for the Trace so strictly and therefore perhaps show their children a thing or two.

This brings me to my other point. The parents can show their children, teach a few simple theories, but the children, using an older person's wand, would not be able to actually perform magic. Most children show signs of magical ability at age seven. And there isn't much wrong with Neville's lack of aptitude for magic. Some children show signs of magic a little later. And when Neville has trouble in school, it may simply have been his amount of focus and control of his magic. But the competence came through; there is no 'amount' of magical power--if you have a even a single drop of magical blood, you are a wizard.

I doubt that a rich pureblood would be taught cooking - they have servants for that. Depending on whether you think they have human servants, the women would be taught laundering. You can't hand clothing to a house elf or it will free them. So laundry would have to be done by the women of the household or a human servant.

Actually, they wouldn't have to be taught much; there are simple household charms. However, this just doesn't seem right to me. I can't imagine Walburga Black washing clothes. Perhaps there would be a certain something in the house elf's contract saying they can't just take clothing, and the laundry doesn't count as the owner giving clothing. I think the house elves at Hogwarts do the laundry.

As for the question at hand, I think purebloods, since they would not go to regular schools like muggle-borns and some half-bloods, would have gotten a tutor from within the family, or perhaps hired one.

Can I just pick at something here, being the very evil Brit-picker that I am? The term 'homeschooling' isn't used in this country. It's possible that it is now because of the influence of America, but certainly Draco wouldn't be 'homeschooled'; he'd be 'taught from home'.
Being taught from home in the UK is very much on the fringes of education. Although numbers have increased recently, it is a tiny minority of pupils who are taught exclusively at home - most will go to school at some stage.

I think it quite likely that the Malfoys hired a governess (as opposed to a tutor - governess is an old fashioned term, but it seems to fit the old pure-blood set up) to teach Draco the rudiments of reading and writing.

Along with the basics of reading and writing and probably mathematics, I'd say that for a Pureblood, ettiquette lessons would be a huge part of a child's education. I think, if you want to go all-out for authenticity, you'll need this included. If you look at the Black family, or the Malfoys, or even hypothetically, someone like the Greengrasses, you'll see they're very big on being classy, to gain respect and influence through the community. And ettiquette is a huge part of classiness. It's natural, therefore, for the Pureblood children, to have proper ettiquette from an early age and have it drilled into them.

Like Carole said, 'governess' is a better term for a tutor. But I believe that this is how they'd be taught. Narcissa Malfoy sounds far too above teaching her son, and probably believes it is 'commoner' work.

Perhaps it's just me, but I'm not so sure about a Pureblood learning ettiquette. The Pureblood families like the Malfoys and Blacks do have an air of class about them, but I don't think any characters in the books actually worried about ettiquette. Think of Sirius. Think of Draco's behaviour at school, and with Ron and Harry and Crabbe and Goyle. With Narcissa, the image of her at the World Cup in GoF comes to mind. She is haughty and regards her surroundings with distaste.

A child would learn what is right and what is wrong, morally and societally, simply by observing, perhaps by asking a few questions. I can't think of any Pureblood who was always in-line, though. I don't think a Pureblood family would have hired a governess, an outside person, to teach their children these things--learning their place in society, being taught the ideologies of the family would have been more important and something only a member of the family or the Pureblood circle would teach. Perhaps the children would get glimpses of what the Ministry and what politics is like, since many Pureblood families are high in status and are associated with things like those. Much of their class, I think, comes from their wealth, status, and behaviour.

So...I still think a Pureblood child would have been taught by someone from the family, or at least someone well-liked by them and similar to them in their set of mind. They wouldn't have worried excessively about proper ettiquette, would have taught basic things like money, time, reading and writing, etc., along with a bit of family history, of course.

Perhaps it's just me, but I'm not so sure about a Pureblood learning ettiquette. The Pureblood families like the Malfoys and Blacks do have an air of class about them, but I don't think any characters in the books actually worried about ettiquette.

Etiquette isn't really about behaviour, it's about social skills and eating with the right fork. Narcissa is immensely concerned with how she's perceived. She looks perfect. She ignores anyone she thinks is beneath her. I'm pretty sure that Draco would be taught how to sport himself in public and at the Manor, but he wouldn't bother using correct etiquette at Hogwarts because he's not at home.

Sirius would kick against his background and deliberately drink his soup incorrectly to annoy his parents.

Historically, yes, perhaps children would have recieved a few lessons in ettiquette and been taught by a governess when they were younger, at least the richer families would have done so. But at the time the books were set, and perhaps even Marauder Era as well, this would have been a very rare occurance.

Marauder era when Sirius was growing up would still be a society rife with social mores. The fifties and sixties were only the start of the breakdown of etiquette rules. The royal family in this country and the UK's aristocracy still observe very strict rules about what an or can't be done. The Black girls would have had manners drilled into them, and I think Draco would have done to.

For instance, Michelle Obama outting her arm around the queen cause a real furore - you don't touch the Queen! What was she thinking of?

I agree with Lovemagic about the ettiquette thing, but in some ways disagree with being told about their place in society. If you look at the books, most Purebloods don't give a fig about their standing in society. Look at Ron, Neville, Ernie Macmillan, James Potter Sr (granted, we don't see a lot of the last two, but from what we do see, they're not at all lording it over the other students because of their blood). It seems like the Malfoys and the Blacks are the extreme example of Pureblood supremacy. The average Pureblood character just doesn't seem to give a fig.

Historically, yes, perhaps children would have recieved a few lessons in ettiquette and been taught by a governess when they were younger, at least the richer families would have done so. But at the time the books were set, and perhaps even Marauder Era as well, this would have been a very rare occurance.

Since many Pureblood families are high in status and are associated with things like those. Much of their class, I think, comes from their wealth, status, and behaviour.

Pureblood doesnt equal vast amounts of money. Having so many rich families would do weird things to the economy, and although we don't hear about the likes of Neville or Ernie's home life, there's an essay on the Lexicon that puts Neville in the same social class as Ron. The only two incredibly wealthy students in Harry's year are Draco Malfoy and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Rich Purebloods would be the exception, not the norm, just like incredibly rich families are in our society.